By Alex Bass
Alex.bass@triangletribune.com
RALEIGH – The 2024 Raleigh mayoral race, without an incumbent, will deliver a new city leader for the first time since 2019 when Mary-Ann Baldwin was inaugurated. The new mayor will be just the fourth since Charles Meeker assumed office in 2001 and served 10 years before Nancy McFarlane held the post from 2011-19.
This year’s five aspirants in the officially no-partisan contest include three registered Democrats, one Republican and an unaffiliated candidate per the N.C. State Board of Elections.
Janet Cowell served previously as state treasurer. Eugene Myrick and Terrance Ruth, both of whom have been professional public educators, seek to become Raleigh’s first Black mayor since Clarence Lightner (1973-75). Paul Fitts and James Shaughnessy IV have private sector business backgrounds in real estate and catering, respectively.
Oct. 11 is the deadline for voter registration. In-person early voting and same-day registration starts Oct. 17. Absentee ballot request deadline is Oct. 29.
The following are highlights of each candidate’s platform from their websites.
Janet Cowell
Affiliation: Democrat
Website: www.janetcowellformayor.com
Platform Summary:
* Affordable housing, including rehabilitating existing housing, must enable civil servants (educators, firefighters, law enforcement) to afford to reside within the city.
* Environmental quality must be enhanced by effective greenspace and emissions management.
* Law enforcement must be funded, resourced, and build community partnerships differentiating mental health crises and crimes and addressing both.
Paul Fitts
Affiliation: Republican
Website: www.myrickformayor.com
Platform Summary:
* Raleigh Police Department must be resourced to hire 400 additional officers.
* More affordable housing must be created by relocating intra-city prisons, which will offer 44 acres (Central Prison) and 189 acres (Women’s Prison) for development.
* Economy must be bolstered through more downtown living options, legal gaming and promotion of performing arts venues with increased programming.
Eugene Myrick
Affiliation: Democrat
Website: www.myrickformayor.com
Platform Summary:
* A dedicated city education committee must address Science, Technology, Engineering and Math opportunities, student nutrition and socio-emotional health.
* Fair wages for city workers (public and private) to live in the city; have reliable, free public transportation; and needed social services access must grow.
* Sustainable development must protect water resources and greenspaces, lower emissions and mitigate flooding.
Terrance Ruth
Affiliation: Democrat
Website: www.truthforraleigh.org
Platform Summary:
* Housing must include quantifiable, size-varying units accessible for all incomes.
* Investing in education must include city college graduate retention, resources for workforce development and growing the remote work technology infrastructure.
* Public safety must extend beyond simple law enforcement and include collaborative support and reliable transportation for all residents.
James Shaughnessy IV
Affiliation: Unaffiliated
Website: www.shaughnessy4you.com
Platform Summary:
* Public safety must be enhanced through expanded communications, particularly concerning on-bus policies and bus upkeep schedules.
* School-based farms and trade coursework must be employed to enhance student nutrition and vocational education.
* Artificial intelligence must be employed to optimize city government systems and services – employees of which should be eligible for affordable housing credit.
